India has new air bubble pacts with Kenya and Bhutan: Puri

New Delhi: India has established separate bilateral air bubble arrangements with Kenya and Bhutan for operation of special international passenger flights between the two countries, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said.

Till September 17, India had formed such arrangements with 13 countries -- Afghanistan, Bahrain, Canada, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, the Maldives, Nigeria, Qatar, the UAE, the UK and the USA.

Under an air bubble pact between two countries, special international passenger flights can be operated by their airlines into each other's territories under restrictive conditions. "In order to further boost bilateral international air connectivity air bubble arrangements are now in place with Kenya & Bhutan. Indian carriers will be able to operate to these countries," Puri said on Twitter. "Carriers of these countries will be able to fly to India," he added.

Scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

However, special international passenger flights have been operating in India under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral air bubble arrangements formed between India and other countries since July.